Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish Ambulance Service stations are located in sparsely populated areas.

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the location is of each Scottish Ambulance Service station.

Susan Deacon: I understand that, on 19 December, you met with Mr Adrian Lucas, the Chief Executive of the Scottish Ambulance Service, to discuss ambulance cover in Banff and Buchan. Following that meeting he wrote to you to confirm that you will receive the further data which you requested from Mr Raymond Gordon, Divisional Manager of the Ambulance Service’s North East Division. I have asked Mr Lucas to ensure that this includes information on the location of ambulance stations across Scotland.

Criminal Records

Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many submissions, letters and other forms of correspondence have been received since October 1999 on the review of Scottish Criminal Records Office checks on voluntary organisations.

Mr Jim Wallace: We have received just over 1,000 representations from or on behalf of voluntary organisations expressing concern about the proposed charges for criminal record checks.

Defence

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any evaluation has been done of either the impact that the Defence Diversification Agency (DDA) has on the economy of Scotland or of any implications that privatisation of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency would have for the DDA’s impact in this respect.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government on a wide range of issues including the effect in Scotland of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) Public/Private Partnership (PPP) and the future role of the Defence Diversification Agency. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that no final decisions on the DERA PPP have been reached. The Scottish Executive continues to work closely with the Defence Diversification Agency to achieve the shared aim of encouraging the widest exploitation of defence technology within Scottish industry.

Education

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce measures to ensure that every child in early years education has access to music and the arts.

Mr Nicol Stephen: Guidance is already in place which outlines opportunities for experiencing music and arts in the three to five age group, appropriate in various early education settings. These early experiences are built on by the 5-14 Expressive Arts guidelines.

Education

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to reverse the decline of school pupils studying maths and physics at a higher level.

Mr Jack McConnell: Provisional figures indicate that the number of pupils studying mathematics at SCE Higher/National Qualification Higher level in the 1999-2000 session increased slightly from 1998-99. The number taking physics did, however, decline slightly over the same period. The introduction of new National Qualifications at Intermediate level have seen an encouraging rise in participation rates in physics and mathematics which are likely to result in increased participation at the higher levels of study in future years. The Executive is also preparing a science strategy which will cover science education including physics.

Environment

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what work is currently in hand to audit the environmental impact of its policies and programmes.

Mr Sam Galbraith: In Programme for Government , the Scottish Executive committed itself to implementing Strategic Environmental Assessment of its plans and programmes. Consultants have been commissioned to produce proposals on how this commitment might be delivered.

Fisheries

Mr John Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the £9 million aid allocated to assist the salmon farming industry because of the infectious salmon anaemia outbreak remains unspent.

Rhona Brankin: To date, HIE has assisted 18 companies with a total of £2.9 million. A number of other applications are currently under consideration which, if approved, could take the total assistance to some £4.3 million. This assistance has provided valuable reassurance for the industry at a difficult time and the scheme will therefore remain open for applications until spring 2002.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the economic impact of the quota cuts agreed at the December meeting of the EU Fisheries Council, including any estimated figures for loss of income and job losses within the fishing industry.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive will continue discussions with the fishing industry about the economic impact of the outcome of the December Council early in 2001. Only in relation to North Sea cod and North Sea whiting would we expect to see significant shortfalls compared to landings in 2000. It will also be important to take into account the impact of any cod recovery plan (the details of which are not yet determined) and likely movements in fish prices.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many bilateral meetings it has arranged as a result of the outcome of the December meeting of the EU Fisheries Council, with whom and when.

Rhona Brankin: I hope to meet early in 2001 with the Fisheries Ministers from Denmark and from Ireland.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to meet with Her Majesty’s Treasury to discuss financial issues affecting the fishing industry and, if so, when.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with HM Treasury on a range of issues.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it made to Her Majesty’s Government during the December meeting of the EU Fisheries Council, what response it received and what the outcome was of its representations.

Rhona Brankin: The Executive was fully involved in working-up the UK line across the whole range of issues raised by the UK team at the December Council.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any areas of disagreement that arose between it and Her Majesty’s Government during the December meeting of the EU Fisheries Council.

Rhona Brankin: An agreed UK line was adopted on all issues raised at the December Fisheries Council. The Executive contributed fully to the development of the agreed UK position.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to put in place any area closures or other conservation measures in time for the 2001 spawning season for cod.

Rhona Brankin: Any such measures would be part of a cod recovery plan which is currently under consideration within the European Community.

Health

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications of the recent Scottish health plan are for the delivery of healthcare in Argyll and Bute.

Susan Deacon: Our National Health: A plan for action, a plan for change reaffirms the Scottish Executive’s commitment to facilitating continuous improvement in a modern, patient-centred NHSScotland. It signals a shift in the development of policy to the delivery of change. As such, the plan has far-reaching implications for the delivery of healthcare throughout Scotland.

Health

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current position is on the reorganisation of NHS acute services.

Susan Deacon: It is important that health boards and NHS Trusts review periodically their acute services to ensure that patients’ needs continue to be met. I have emphasised the importance of thorough public involvement and consultation in the review process.

  Health boards and their planning partners are currently reviewing acute services in Fife, Forth Valley, Greater Glasgow and Tayside.

Health Promotion

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to encourage the inclusion of red meat as part of a healthy diet.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Diet Action Plan, Eating for Health , provides the framework for improving Scotland’s diet. The plan acknowledges the valuable contribution which meat can make to health, provided it is lean, eaten in appropriate amounts and forms part of a healthy, well-balanced diet. Implementation of the plan includes close liaison between the Scottish Executive, Food Standards Agency and Quality Meat Scotland in the latter’s work to reduce further the fat content of red meat and to develop healthy meat products.

Higher Education

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the performance of the Paisley University Business Faculty.

Ms Wendy Alexander: None. The performance of the faculty is a matter for Paisley University, in consultation, if appropriate, with the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council.

Higher Education

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many student applications were made to Paisley University in academic years (i) 1997-98, (ii) 1998-99, (iii) 1999-2000 and (iv) 2000-01.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The information for applications made through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) is given in the following table:

  


Year 
  

Number 
  



1997-98 
  

6,606 
  



1998-99 
  

7,084 
  



1999-2000 
  

6,963 
  



2000-01 
  

5,966 
  



  Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

Higher Education

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the management structure and staffing numbers were at the Paisley University Business Faculty in (i) 1997-98 and (ii) 2000-01.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Management structures within institutions is a matter for those institutions and information is not held centrally. Information collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency indicates that, in 1997-98, there were 24 staff at Paisley University recorded under the heading "Business and Administrative Studies", the same as in the previous year. Figures for 2000-01 are not yet available. Staffing information is not collected by faculty.

Higher Education

Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many Business Faculty students there were at Paisley University in academic years (i) 1997-98, (ii) 1998-99, (iii) 1999-2000 and (iv) 2000-01.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Information on student numbers by faculty is not held centrally. Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency show there were 1,625 students on Business Administration courses at Paisley University in 1997-98 and 1,589 in 1998-99. Data for 1999-2000 will be available in February 2001, but figures for 2000-01 will not be available centrally until early 2002.

Local Government

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to meet representatives of Glasgow City Council and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to help resolve their current dispute.

Peter Peacock: None.

Local Government Finance

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the rules on the write-off of old community charge and council tax debt.

Peter Peacock: The write-off of local taxation debts which cannot be recovered is a matter for local authorities, in line with their statutory duties, and in consultation with their auditors as necessary.

Medical Training

Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to encourage individuals to train as physiotherapists.

Mr Alasdair Morrison: Applications to higher education institutions in Scotland for pre-registration physiotherapy courses remain buoyant and are not a cause for concern.

Medical Training

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to increase the number of medical students.

Susan Deacon: Scotland currently educates 14.5% of the UK total of medical students, which is significantly more than its pro rata share of 10% based on relative population size.

  The number of medical students should not be decided in isolation. It should be linked to the number of career-grade doctors that the NHS in Scotland will need in the future, and the number of postgraduate doctors in training that are needed to provide services and to supply those career-grade doctors. Our National Health, the health plan for Scotland published on 14 December, includes a commitment to a fundamental review of medical workforce planning, including the intake of medical students and the possibility of fast-track graduate-entry medical degree courses in Scotland.

Medical Training

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many clinical geneticists are currently being trained.

Susan Deacon: Details of the Specialist Registrar (SpR) establishment 2000 and the number of trainees expected to be awarded a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCST) to 2004, is detailed in Annex B, Tables 1 and 2 of NHS MEL (2000) 24, published on 28 April 2000. A copy of this is available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. no. 7379).

  The current number of SpR trainees in clinical genetics is 11, which represents an increase in the establishment of one, from 10 to 11 trainees.

Rail Freight

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what implications the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s pre-budget statement will have for the promotion of rail freight in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: Rail freight is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive of course has responsibility for freight grants in Scotland, and is in regular contact with the Strategic Rail Authority on a wide range of issues, including rail freight.

Rail Services

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to ScotRail on when the Inverness rail sleeper service will be re-instated.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in regular discussion on a wide range of operational issues with ScotRail. I understand that ScotRail will consider the possible reinstatement of sleeper services north of Edinburgh once it has received details of Railtrack’s relevant rail recovery plan, due today.

Rape

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of a recent Home Office study into "drug rape" which found that nearly half of all offences take place in either pubs or clubs, it will urge owners of such establishments to publicly display literature warning of the risks of having drinks bought by others and of leaving drinks unattended.

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will recommend that universities take action to protect students from the dangers of "drug rape", given that a recent Home Office report found that 20% of reported victims were students, and that most of the victims knew their attackers.

Susan Deacon: There has been considerable publicity about the danger of drug rape. The Executive has no current plans for any publicity campaign.

Roads

Bruce Crawford (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in the building of the M74 extension.

Sarah Boyack: I have had three very useful meetings with council leaders from Glasgow City, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Councils since I announced on 28 September that the Executive would fund the strategic link between Fullarton Road and west of the Kingston Bridge.

Roads

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will restore primary destination status to Dunfermline to ensure new and improved signage to the city.

Sarah Boyack: I have no plans to review Dunfermline’s status for trunk road signing purposes.

Safer Routes to School

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing specific funding which could be accessed by schools to provide cycle park facilities and a training programme for young cyclists.

Sarah Boyack: Each year local authorities receive a block allocation for expenditure on a number of services including transport. It is for local authorities to set their priorities and allocate resources according to local circumstances.

  However, this year we provided an additional capital allocation of £5.2 million to local authorities to take forward work specifically on safer routes to school. This money could have been used on cycle parking facilities or on capital expenditure to facilitate cycle training if the local authority chose to do so.

  In 1998, some £580,000 of grant was provided through the Cycle Challenge Initiative as pump priming to 35 innovative cycling projects throughout Scotland. Of these, four related directly to school cycling projects.

  Finally, I recently announced that in the third round of competition for the Public Transport Fund, £4.3 million was awarded to cycling and walking projects. As I indicated to Parliament on 28 September in my statement on the comprehensive spending review, it is my intention to give prominence to walking, cycling and safer streets in allocating the fund in the future.

Safer Routes to School

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to make funding available for safer routes to school projects in future financial years.

Sarah Boyack: Although the additional capital allocation of £5.2 million for safer routes to school schemes which I announced in May was for 2000-01 only, it is my intention to give greater prominence to walking, cycling and safer streets projects when allocating resources from the Public Transport Fund in the future. This could include projects related to safer routes to school. Guidance to local authorities on bids for the next round of the PTF will be issued in the first quarter of 2001.

Schools

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total value is of the latest estimates by schools of the sums needed for the repairs to school buildings, broken down by education authority.

Mr Jack McConnell: The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed consistent information of the kind requested is not available centrally. Education authorities generally have their own assessments of school building maintenance and other needs, although these may not be on a basis which is consistent across authorities. We will be discussing with local authority representatives aspects of school building needs, including the scope for improving the consistency of such information across all authorities.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent since 1 July 1999 on employing Tactica Solutions.

Angus MacKay: Scottish Executive expenditure with, or through, Tactica Solutions for the period 1 July 1999 to 31 October 2000 inclusive was £6,260,000. Tactica Solutions provides a managed service for the design, print and publications requirements of the Scottish Executive. Approximately 80% of the expenditure under this contract (£4,900,000) is in respect of business placed by Tactica Solutions with sub-contractors.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which companies other than Tactica Solutions it has employed to design and produce Scottish Executive publications.

Angus MacKay: The contract with Tactica Solutions which commenced in August 1998 is for the provision of a managed service for the design, print and publications requirements of the Scottish Executive. Approximately 80% (£4,900,000) of the work invoiced by Tactica Solutions in the period July 1999 through October 2000 is for work sub-contracted to other companies.

Scottish Executive Publications

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a contract with Tactica Solutions for the design and production of its publications and, if so, what criteria were used to select Tactica Solutions and how long the contract is for.

Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive has a contract with Tactica Solutions which commenced in August 1998 for a period of three years plus an option of two one-year extensions, subject to performance.

  Tactica Solutions was selected on the basis of value for money and ability to deliver, following competition and detailed evaluation of a number of proposals to provide a comprehensive service for design and production of publications. Tactica Solutions provides a managed service for document design and production, ensuring that the final product meets the criteria for official publications. Approximately 80% of the expenditure under this contract (£4,900,000) is in respect of business placed by Tactica Solutions with sub-contractors.

Scottish Youth Parliament

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it currently provides for the Scottish Youth Parliament.

Mr Jack McConnell: The Scottish Executive provided funding of £25,000 for the Scottish Youth Parliament in its first year of operation and a community education worker has recently been seconded to work one day a week with the Scottish Youth Parliament. Officials keep in touch with Youth Parliament representatives and understand that an application for grant funding will be received early this year.

Scottish Youth Parliament

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to fund the Scottish Youth Parliament in future years and at what level.

Mr Jack McConnell: Ministers are keen to support the Scottish Youth Parliament. Officials keep in touch with Youth Parliament representatives and understand that an application for grant funding will be received early this year.

Scottish Youth Parliament

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to take to enable the Scottish Youth Parliament to extend its activities.

Mr Jack McConnell: I understand that the Scottish Youth Parliament are currently finalising their development plans. These will be submitted to the Scottish Executive as part of an application for grant funding and I hope to bring forward proposals to develop and support their plans shortly thereafter.

Scottish Youth Parliament

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make the Scottish Youth Parliament one of the bodies routinely consulted on legislation and initiatives affecting young people.

Mr Jack McConnell: Ministers want to involve the Scottish Youth Parliament in our ongoing plans for legislation and other initiatives and we will discuss with the Youth Parliament how best to involve them in consultation.

Skye Bridge

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Miller Civil Engineering Limited is authorised to charge tolls on the A87.

Irene McGugan (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive which of the companies in the Miller Group is in joint venture with Dywidag for the purpose of operating the A87 Skye crossing.

Sarah Boyack: As I made clear in my letter of 27 October to the member, the right to collect tolls on the Skye Bridge has been assigned to Skye Bridge Limited. The operation and maintenance of the bridge is carried out on SBL’s behalf by Miller Dywidag, a joint venture between Miller Civil Engineering Limited and Dyckerhoff & Widmann AG.

Social Inclusion

Paul Martin (Glasgow Springburn) (Lab): To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Executive is taking to improve services for the most deprived neighbourhoods.

Henry McLeish: Across the Executive a wide range of policies have been developed and put in place to address social exclusion and improve the quality of life in deprived areas. Earlier this week, we announced the distribution of the £90 million Better Neighbourhood Services Fund specifically targeted at improving services in deprived neighbourhoods. Pathfinders for the fund will involve the community in determining the services to be improved and will deliver agreed outcomes to make real improvements for local people.

Water Charges

Mr Keith Harding (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much money is expected to be collected in water and sewerage charges in (i) 2001-02 and (ii) 2002-03, broken down between domestic and non-domestic payers.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is not available. Ministers have set a maximum revenue increase limit for 2001-02, and the actual rate of charge rises for individual customer groups shall be set in the Charges Schemes that the authorities shall send to the Water Industry Commissioner for approval. The appropriate rate of revenue increase from charges for 2002-03 will be part of the Commissioner’s advice to ministers for the next strategic charges review.

Water Supply

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering any of the following fluorides for use in the water supply: calcium fluoride, lead fluoride, aluminium fluoride, sodium fluoride or silico fluorides (known as hexaflurosilisic acid) and, if not, what other fluoride is being considered.

Malcolm Chisholm: Section 1(4) of the Water (Fluoridation) Act 1985 provides that the fluoride content in water may be increased only by the addition of one or more of the following compounds of fluorine;

  hexafluorosilicic acid

  disodium hexafluorosilicate.

  The Executive is not at present considering any change to this provision.